The Tale of Nagato Uzumaki
by YAXON
Summary: Title is subject to change. AU. After training the three Orphans from Rain to defend themselves adequately, Jiraiya returns home, confident that they will change the future of the world. Poor Jiraiya has no idea how true that will be, because the Ame Trio doesn't want to part ways. What changes will be brought about when Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan become Shinobi of the Leaf...?
1. Prologue

"Water Style: Raging Waves!" Yahiko declared his Jutsu as a wave surged forward at the Shadow Clone of Jiraiya.

"Paper Shuriken!" Konan also cried out, and paper in the form of shuriken swirled around her and was sent flying at the Shadow Clone as well.

Last, but not least, Nagato put his hands together and shouted, "Wind Style: Gale Palm!"

Wind rushed forth and aided the water and the paper shuriken. The combined attack aimed at the Shadow Clone with precision and hit him dead on. The Shadow Clone didn't stand a chance, and he popped.

"How was that, sensei?!" Yahiko called out and pumped his fist in the air.

Jiraiya chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm.

"Oho! You can take down my Shadow Clone down now, huh?" Jiraiya walked over to his three beloved students and smiled. The three of them turned to him and smiled back, and Yahiko brought his fist back down. Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief. "Well then, I can return home now without any worries."

Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan appeared shell-shocked at the sudden news, and the triumphant atmosphere was lost. Jiraiya reiterated his declaration.

"You three are all on your own from here on out!" Jiraiya said while grinning with closed eyes. "You've done a great job these past three years!"

The three orphans from Rain were too shocked and sad to say anything. Even Yahiko began to shed tears, and he always berated Nagato for that! All the while, rain continued to fall down around them, adding to the gloomy atmosphere.

"Heh! Don't cry, Yahiko, or people will call you a coward!" Jiraiya went on, repeating the warning that the boy always gave Nagato. "Konan, you're going to grow up to be a real beauty! I know it. I hope we meet again someday! This land is destitute, so there will be hard times ahead. But from this point forward, you three can change the fate of this land."

As he was saying his parting words, Jiraiya turned around and began walking away. Naturally, the three orphans couldn't accept this farewell, so Nagato and Konan both began to walk in the direction Jiraiya was going, but Konan didn't make it as far as Nagato, who was stopped in his tracks by Jiraiya.

"Nagato… You three have really grown up, wouldn't you agree?"

At last, Nagato managed to find his voice. Frowning, he murmured more to himself than Jiraiya.

"Thank you, Sensei…"

Now, at one time, that would have been the end of that, and the family of Jiraiya, Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan would have been broken up. The three orphans from Rain would have gone on to establish an insurgent group within the Rain Village and eventually earn the attention of Hanzo the Salamander, which would inevitably have led to the death of Yahiko, and start a chain of events that would have shaken the Shinobi World to its very core.

However… in another time, this was not farewell. In another time, Yahiko did not accept Jiraiya-sensei just up and leaving like that. Life in Rain Country was Hell. It was situated precariously between three of the Five Great Nations, and was a constant battleground, ESPECIALLY in wartime. And it didn't help that Hanzo had changed quite drastically from how he once was; he was now very much a tyrant, and a paranoid one at that. Yahiko's dream was to save the Hidden Rain Village and overthrow Hanzo, and he was absolutely ready to die to make that dream a reality, as were Nagato and Konan.

But then the three of them had met Jiraiya, newly christened as one of the Sannin by the very one that they were aiming to overthrow. They had been wary of the man at first, because he was a Leaf Ninja, and the Hidden Leaf had in no way attempted to help quell the fighting in Rain Country. But after three years of living under one roof, Jiraiya had become a father figure for the three orphans, who had known nothing but War for much of their young lives. He was genuinely sorry about all the fighting going on, and he had a similar dream of bringing peace to this accursed Shinobi World. He made them laugh, he comforted them when they wept, and he willingly taught them the skills to become Shinobi. They weren't even from the Land of Fire, and yet he had done all of this for them, like they were his own children.

They knew he would one day return to the Hidden Leaf, though. He had to return to his own home and help his own people. It was wartime, after all. They just didn't expect it to be so soon, nor the fact that they would become this attached to the man. He wasn't just a father figure; he practically WAS their father, at least to the three of them. None of them were related by blood, but that didn't stop them from being a family.

And their father was just going to leave, now that they were able to defend themselves…?

Yahiko used his arm to wipe his tears away and then he clenched his fists.

"No. This isn't the end…!" Yahiko screamed. "He can't just LEAVE!"

Konan and Nagato turned to their friend, surprised by his sudden outburst. Jiraiya was out of earshot.

"Yahiko…" Konan murmured quietly. She didn't want it all to end either, but what choice did they have? She continued, barely above a whisper. "Jiraiya-sensei has to return home… He can't stay idle forever, not when a war is going on…"

Yahiko shook with anger. But he wasn't mad at Konan.

"I KNOW that! So why don't we just follow him home?!"

Nagato and Konan stared at him with gaping mouths. The idea was unheard of, and yet…

"What about your dream, Yahiko?" Nagato questioned his friend. "We were going to bring peace to this land…"

Yahiko nodded emphatically. Turning in the direction that Jiraiya had gone, Yahiko confirmed that was still the plan.

"And we will! But think about it: Jiraiya-sensei also dreams about peace! He can't be the only one in his village like that! We can set up a base and gather supporters from there!"

Nagato remained silent after Yahiko's reasoning. He had a point, but still…

"We can do the same thing here, Yahiko… We're not the only ones tired of the current regime. Could you guarantee that people in the Hidden Leaf would assist us…?" Konan asked when Nagato wouldn't.

That reasoning didn't waver Yahiko's decision in the least. He could be stubborn when he wanted to be.

"Konan, I'm not just doing it for the sake of helping our country anymore… We're not the only ones suffering. I have a feeling that with our efforts, combined with Sensei's, we can bring peace to the world! Besides, hasn't the past three years been the best we've ever lived? Do you really want to give that up?"

Konan looked down dejectedly. She didn't even have to answer that one.

"But what about the Hidden Leaf? How can you know that they'll accept us?" Konan pleaded Yahiko to answer. Nagato awaited his friend's reply.

"Sensei will vouch for us! And even if that won't be enough, I'll be willing to do anything they want, if it'll keep the family together! They want to interrogate me? Fine! If they want compensation for letting us stay in the village, I'll fight to the death for it! Just because we would be living in the Hidden Leaf doesn't mean we would forget about our home here. We will overthrow Hanzo one day, but wouldn't it be great to have Sensei and the Hidden Leaf help us do that? Sensei trusted and helped us even when we weren't from his country, and I'm absolutely certain he'd help fulfill our goal of liberating Rain Country in a heartbeat. It's only fair for us to offer our assistance, too! I don't even want to think of 'us' and 'them' anymore; when we bring about a peaceful world, there certainly won't be any of that!"

All was quiet after Yahiko's speech. When Yahiko's mind was made up, nothing could deter him. And his reasoning made an awful lot of sense. For a while, Nagato had been inwardly debating whether or not to go along with Yahiko's new plan of action, and Yahiko's speech finally convinced him.

"… I will come, too, Yahiko. Sensei has done much for us, and it is only fair to repay him even a little for the three years he lived with us. And you are right; we shouldn't be selfish in bringing peace to just our home…"

Yahiko grinned at his friend and gave him a thumbs up.

"What about you, Konan?" Yahiko asked, turning to his other dear friend.

Konan closed her eyes and bit her lip. There was so much uncertainty, and yet both Yahiko and Nagato were willing to go through with following Jiraiya home, thus leaving theirs. She wanted to wait and think it over, but she knew how rash Yahiko could be. And Nagato was a firm believer in Yahiko's ideals, so…

Smiling tentatively, Konan gave her answer.

"Doesn't look like I have much choice, does it?"

Yahiko laughed joyfully.

"Alright! Let's set out right now!"

… But before he could he got too far, Nagato and Konan reminded him they would need provisions for the journey, just in case. Ten minutes later, the three orphans said farewell to the home that they had come to know for the past three years, and set out. Nagato clutched the keepsake that their Sensei had left behind, his first ever novel, and ran in formation with Konan and Yahiko…

The journey into the Land of Fire was very different for the three orphans of Rain Country. For one, they got to see the sun for much longer than they ever did back home. And for two, the ecology was vastly different. With no ever-present rain, trees and lush grass were allowed to grow freely. Well, more than was allowed back home, anyway.

The three orphans could've easily stopped to admire and appreciate the change in scenery, but they were all too focused on their destination: The Hidden Leaf Village. They hadn't been stopped by border patrol, surprisingly. A battle must have been brewing nearby, or the Leaf Shinobi were sloppy at border patrol.

… Yeah, probably the former.

"How far away is this place?!" Konan called out as the three kept running nonstop.

Yahiko laughed heartily.

"The Land of Fire is bigger than our little country, Konan! Just relax! We'll reach it eventually."

Konan sent the orange-haired boy a deadpan look, but didn't dignify him with a retort. Nagato wordlessly watched the two as they darted along the road. Konan did have a point; they really should have looked at a map. For all they knew, the Hidden Leaf was days away, and they had passed Jiraiya a long way back.

But then again, Jiraiya-sensei would've noticed them if they did. Besides, they'd only been running at a decent pace for five hours. Jiraiya wouldn't stop to take a break yet… probably. There was always the possibility they passed him and just missed him; he was more trained in the Shinobi Arts, after all.

Pushing thoughts of Jiraiya-sensei to the back of his mind, Nagato's thoughts drifted to the Hidden Leaf. What would it be like? What would the people be like? Truth be told, Nagato still had some concerns about this little change in plans. Yahiko was very convincing with his speech, but it was also true that Leaf Shinobi killed his parents, believing them to be Shinobi themselves. No matter how strong the Hidden Leaf was, the people there could still make mistakes, just like anywhere else. It was highly possible that they could be perceived as spies upon reaching the village.

Nagato shook his head to clear away the doubts. Everything would be fine. It might be a little tough at first, but they would adjust. No doubt about it.

But still Nagato wondered as they raced along the dirt path…

Needless to say, Nagato's doubts resurfaced once the three orphans reached the front gate of the Leaf Village.

"Halt! Stat your names, ranks, and intentions!" A man in a green Chunin vest shouted at the three wayward children.

The three tensed but swiftly obeyed.

"My name's Yahiko and these are my friends Nagato and Konan! We're from the Hidden Rain Village, but we hold no Shinobi Rank… Um… Oh, and we're here because Jiraiya-sensei finally returned home, and we didn't want to leave him…" Yahiko finished off kind of weakly.

The two Chunin on front gate duty listened to Yahiko's introduction, but didn't appear as if they believed a word of it.

"… I think you three better come with me to see Lord Hokage…" The same Chunin spoke and stood up. Moving outside of the small booth, the Chunin motioned for them to follow him.

Hesitantly, the three orphans followed the Chunin. The Hokage was the leader of the Leaf Village, and they were nervous about meeting with him without seeing Jiraiya again first. But if they attempted to flee and find Jiraiya on their own, their actions could land them in prison. Also, they were only trained to defend themselves. If they attacked Leaf Shinobi, it would reflect badly on Jiraiya, and the three children didn't wish for that to happen.

Perhaps they should have thought a little more before checking in at the gate. Sneaking into the village would have been deemed suspicious, but would it really have been more of a hassle? Yahiko wondered a bit at this.

"So, you three are from the Hidden Rain Village, hmm?" Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe and casually clasped his hands together on his desk as he sat behind it. His piercing eyes gave each orphan a thorough glance. They seemed harmless, but you could never be too careful.

"That's right!" Yahiko took a step forward, but an ANBU bodyguard held up his hand for the boy to stop. "Jiraiya-sensei trained us for three years, and then just left us! We wanna live here with him! Those three years were the best of our lives!"

Konan and Nagato shot Yahiko curious glances. True, he was at liberty to admit all this, and he was probably obligated to. But did he really need to make them sound so desperate?

Hiruzen frowned and leaned back, setting the pipe on his desk.

"Do you have any way to authenticate your story?" Hiruzen calmly asked. It was true that Jiraiya wrote back to him constantly about three orphans for the past three years, but never reveal what you know to the potential enemy.

Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan shared looks between one another. They could easily request that Jiraiya be summoned to authenticate their story, but each one felt that wasn't the right thing to do in this situation. Not yet. They communicated that gut feeling to each other through their eyes, but they were back at square one. How to go about proving that their story was true?

Nagato's eyes dawned with realization, and he reached into his cloak. An action that provoked the ANBU to clutch his tanto in anticipation for an attack on the Hokage. Hiruzen motioned for the ANBU to stand down, and Nagato pulled out Jiraiya's first novel: Tales of the Gutsy Ninja. Hiruzen beckoned him forward, and Nagato stepped forward to place the book on the Hokage's desk. Then he stepped back in line with Yahiko and Konan.

Hiruzen hummed thoughtfully as he skimmed through the book. The book was definitely in his student's handwriting, but Hiruzen couldn't recall Jiraiya ever writing a book. Turning to the back cover, he read the little note about the author, and what inspired him to write the book.

With a weary sigh, the Hokage nodded gravely.

"Summon Jiraiya here at once."

Another ANBU that was outside one of the windows shunshined away to do just what the Hokage ordered. The Hokage resumed skimming the book, but he eased the orphans' fears a little.

"I can certainly tell that this is my student's handiwork…" Smirking at their shocked faces, Hiruzen continued. "It's not his usual style, but it's most definitely his handwriting. And the author's note seems to indicate that it is him who wrote the book, as no enemy Shinobi should have knowledge of his personal information… However… We just need to eliminate any doubt. Jiraiya should be all the confirmation I need; he is eccentric, but I would trust him with my life."

A few minutes later, the ANBU shunshined back, and Jiraiya entered the Hokage's office through one of the windows.

"I came as soon as I got your summons… What's up… sensei…?" Jiraiya trailed off weakly as he gazed at the three youth before him once again.

Hiruzen chuckled at his student's shock. But he answered back in a serious tone.

"These three seem to know you, Jiraiya… Do you care to confirm if this is true?"

Jiraiya rubbed his eyes and then attempted to dispel a Genjutsu, in case one was indeed active. But the three orphans were still there.

"You… but… how? Why? Nagato, Konan, Yahiko, I thought you were going to liberate the Rain Village! You don't need me anymore!"

Yahiko was the one to step forward this time.

"Sensei… You were our father for three years, how could you possibly think that we would simply let you walk away?!"

Jiraiya stuttered profusely. But then he sighed. He had to confess to himself that he felt a similar, close connection with each orphan.

"I can't go back with you… I'm sorry. I want to with all my heart, but…"

Yahiko grinned cheekily at Sensei.

"Good! 'Cause we're movin' in with you!"

Cue the sputtering once more.

"But… how… How are you going to achieve your dream here?!"

Nagato stepped forward one more time.

"Sensei, you made us realize that there are more hurting people out there than just us in the Hidden Rain. We want to combine our world peace efforts with yours, and bring about a better world! We will liberate the Hidden Rain, but first we want to repay you for all you did for us!"

Konan stepped forward at last.

"Please, Sensei…?" Konan asked with pleading eyes. Jiraiya never could resist those eyes.

Jiraiya was still sputtering when Hiruzen spoke up again and chuckled.

"It seems you have a family that doesn't want to part with you, Jiraiya… I am happy for you. I will bring this before the council and make it official: Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato will be granted citizenship here in the Hidden Leaf. And if they so choose, they may take the Genin Test. We will see if what you have taught them will be enough for them to become loyal Shinobi of the Leaf. And if not, remedial classes may be taken at their leisure. I would hate to dismiss such passionate students, Jiraiya…"

Jiraiya blinked surprisingly, but then gave the Hokage a grave look.

"But if you take it before the council…"

Hiruzen held up his hand and Jiraiya ceased talking.

"Leave it to me, Jiraiya. I will not let the council turn away these three. They have no doubt seen much while living in the Hidden Rain Village… perhaps too much. They will be placed with you for the time being, as I cannot guarantee them other residence at this point in time."

Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan smiled, relieved. Hiruzen dismissed them, and Jiraiya numbly led them to his abode. This was just too much for him…

"Okay, now that the written exam is over, we move on to the Taijutsu portion of the exam."

The next day, Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato had woken up early to go and take the Genin Exam. Because they hadn't taken part in the Academy's curriculum, they had to be tested in everything in order to ascertain where they were at. The orphans weren't so educated on history of the Hidden Leaf, but they answered what they could, including practical knowledge. And now the rest of the exam would be demonstrating that practical knowledge.

Naturally, the Taijutsu that the orphans did learn wasn't the basic Academy style, and so the proctors for that portion of the exam were in for a shock when the orphans actually managed to land blows on them.

Nagato winced as Yahiko delivered a swift blow to the back of one Chunin's neck after getting behind him with astonishing speed. Oh, the Chunin got back up, but if that had been a real battle, the Chunin could very well have been killed for underestimating the enemy.

"You're going too easy on me, sir! C'mon!"

The Chunin grumbled and got back up. Dusting himself off, the Chunin shook his head.

"I've seen all that I need to see from you. Your fighting style is unorthodox for a beginner, let alone a Genin, but I suppose that's what you get when you learn from Jiraiya, and not from the Academy. Next!"

Konan was up next, and she, too, throttled her opponent. Jiraiya had made sure to drill Taijutsu into all three orphans hard. Ninjutsu wouldn't always work, and Taijutsu would serve as an excellent last line of defense. None of the three chose to specialize in Taijutsu, Genjutsu, or Ninjutsu, even if Yahiko was particularly skilled in Taijutsu. Their reasoning was that if they ran into an enemy Shinobi that knew how to counteract their specialties, then they could be beaten with ease.

And so, the three orphans made sure to train in Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu. Jiraiya approved of their training method, even if he himself was bad at Genjutsu. Still, he told them what he could about Genjutsu, and had even brought in the Toads to help tutor them in the arts of Genjutsu. Nagato was curious about summonings, but Jiraiya told him, at the time, that he wasn't ready to sign a Summoning Contract yet, too inexperienced. Well, it appeared that he would be able to learn it from Jiraiya at a later date now.

After Nagato put his opponent through the wringer, the three passed the Taijutsu portion of the Genin Exam with flying colors. Next up was the Clone technique, and then they had to demonstrate their accuracy with shuriken.

Finally, after several more tests, the three orphans from the Rain Village had demonstrated their worth as Genin of the Leaf Village. Jiraiya had trained them quite efficiently in three years. Granted, they were only Genin, though. They had the potential to be of higher rank, particularly Nagato, but due to politics, they would rise up through the ranks the traditional way. They would work hard in the years to come to prove their worth to the Hokage, the Leaf Village, and the Land of Fire.

Unfortunately, because Jiraiya already had his own team of Genin, they were unable to train under him beyond getting the occasional pointer from him. Still, the Third Hokage showed compassion on them… and had them placed under Tsunade's tutelage. Tsunade was not amused, as she had quite recently lost her loved ones, but she reluctantly obeyed the will of the Hokage and became a Jonin Sensei.

But as soon as they had made Chunin, she was GONE, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

"Put some back into it, brats!" Tsunade barked.

Yahiko laughed.

"Yeah, Konan, put some back into it!"

Konan smirked and shook her head from the branch she was perched upon. She'd already gotten the tree-walking exercise down pat. Nagato had it down, but it needed a little more finesse, so he was still practicing. Yahiko, on the other hand…

"Yahiko, that's enough slacking off! Get back to it!" Tsunade addressed Yahiko.

Yahiko grumbled and returned to failing miserably at the exercise. Meanwhile, Nagato had his way up to the tree branch that Konan was on and sat next to her to take a breather. Contrary to Yahiko, Nagato hadn't stopped practicing since starting in the wee hours of the morning. He was bushed, to say the least.

"Good job, Nagato!" Konan told her friend and beamed at him.

Nagato rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and watched Yahiko run at a tree, make five steps up it, and fall back down.

"Thanks… But it still needs finessing… You seem to have perfect Chakra Control, Konan…"

Konan nodded astutely and turned her attention back to their frustrated friend below.

"Tsunade-sensei wants to start me on water-walking today… I'm sure she'd be fine with starting you on it, too, since you've been working hard…"

Nagato rubbed his chin.

"Well, I'll give it a shot, but I hear that water-walking requires more precise Chakra Control. I'm not too bad at tree-walking, but I'll probably seem really bad at water-walking…"

Konan giggled.

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Nagato… Don't sell yourself short."

Nagato shrugged nonchalantly, and the two watched their friend in silence. They would help and give him pointers, but Tsunade forbade that. Konan and Nagato both managed the exercise on their own, so it was only fair for Yahiko to work it out on his own.

Tsunade gave Nagato a breather before making her next announcement.

"Alright, since Nagato and Konan seem to be adequate at the exercise, I'm going to move them on to water-walking. Yahiko, I'll be checking on you in a little bit. Don't slack off; I WILL know."

Yahiko grinned nervously as his Sensei shot him a warning glance before motioning for Konan and Nagato to follow her. However, before Nagato left, he made a hand seal and made a Shadow Clone. It was true that they were only Genin, but Jiraiya thought Nagato could handle the Jonin-level technique, because he possessed the Rinnegan. And it was a smashing success; Nagato's chakra reserves were unreal. Nagato could create more Shadow Clones than anyone else in the village by a long shot. And that was SHADOW CLONES, not the typical Clone.

Nagato didn't need to explain to his Shadow Clone what he wanted him to do, so Nagato took off after Konan and Tsunade-sensei after making the Shadow Clone, so as to not arouse suspicion.

The Shadow Clone of Nagato made his way over to the orange-haired boy, who was panting on the ground.

"Knew YOU wouldn't abandon me, Nagato!" Yahiko giggled gleefully.

The Shadow Clone rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.

"Perform the exercise, and I'll tell you what you're doing wrong. My Dojutsu might not work like the Sharingan or the Byakugan in seeing Chakra flow, but I know the telltale signs of any mistakes you might make."

Yahiko nodded and attempted to ascend the tree again, making six steps up this time.

"Well? What's the verdict?" Yahiko eagerly asked, once more flat on the ground.

Nagato looked up the tree in contemplation, hiding his small grin as best as he could. Oh, he knew exactly where Yahiko went wrong; Nagato didn't even need that demonstration to prove it. Secretly, Nagato got a laugh out of seeing Yahiko scale the tree and fall down, but it was all in good fun, and not because he enjoyed watching Yahiko fail.

"…" Nagato considered his advice carefully. The reason Tsunade-sensei didn't want them to help each other with this exercise was because they couldn't be babied for their whole career, and getting that lesson drilled into their head now would help them out in the long run. Naturally they were supposed to trust in their allies to cover their backs, but they shouldn't DEPEND on their allies so they could make rash mistakes. "… Observe the tree. That is all I will tell you, Yahiko."

"Whaaat? C'mon, Nagato! What'm I doing wrong?!" Yahiko whined, staring up at his crimson-haired friend.

The Shadow Clone shook his head and dispelled. Yahiko would work it out.

Yahiko twitched at his friend's seemingly unwillingness to help. Seriously. 'Observe the tree'? What the heck was that supposed to mean?! Nagato could've gone into more detail than THAT!

Growling, Yahiko stood up and dusted himself off. Looking up at the tree, all Yahiko could see were the indentations of his footprints. That was typical, right? Turning to the tree that Konan had scaled on her first try, Yahiko was surprised to see no footprints on the tree.

Ah. The footprints weren't supposed to be there. So what did that mean?

"… Too much Chakra?" Yahiko took a stab in the dark. No one answered, of course. He was all by himself, now. Sighing, he got back to work, but this time struggling to put less Chakra into his feet.

At least he managed ten steps up the tree this time. He wasn't even a quarter of the way up, but still… Progress is progress.

_Thanks, Nagato…_

Yahiko thought to himself appreciatively, and vowed to repay Nagato later. He still owed Nagato his life for that incident back then, and Yahiko always repaid his debts… Well, at least he INTENDED to.

**This concludes the Prologue… I actually did this up weeks ago, and really didn't intend to publish this for a while, but a friend of mine liked it, and insisted that I at least release this as a Pilot. Truth be told, this Prologue was just a way to make my main idea plausible, but it was inspired by Twilight of the Thunder God by Fenrir of the Shadows. You'll learn what the 'main idea' is at a later date; this is just the tip of the iceberg, really. Honestly, all I'd like is for you guys to tell me how this is; what could be improved, what you liked, if anything, etc. This is an experiment, pretty much. I'm intrigued by the thought of Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan moving to the Leaf Village and living there, and so I thought I'd try writing that out for my first attempt at Naruto fanfiction. This story will follow Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan as they live in the Leaf Village, and illustrate just how much change they will bring about. Will the Uchiha Massacre still happen? How will the Third Shinobi World War pan out? Will 'Tobi' still be plotting behind the scenes? For every blessing there will be a curse; just because Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan will be among the protectors of the Leaf Village, doesn't mean that the Leaf Village's threats will dwindle. When this story gets going, several possibilities will be explored, and I intend to enjoy the ride. I'm pretty nervous about writing for Naruto, because I might not be too adept at it, but that will be up to you guys to decide how I am. Future Chapters will be epically long, so you don't have to worry about them being this short. Like I said, this is more or less an experiment. **

**For those who read JCA:A, don't worry, I haven't given up. Life happened, and I'm still struggling with writing the next chapter, but I will get it out soon. I promise, guys… **


	2. Chapter 1: Five Years Later

They stood across from each other in the clearing – two Leaf shinobi wearing the common flak jackets that Chunin wear, one blond and the other a redhead. Neither moved a muscle; both of them awaited the other to make the first move. The air was thick with tension and anticipation.

At last, the blond made his move. His hand moving unbelievably fast, the blond threw five shuriken the redhead's way. The redhead deflected each shuriken fluidly with a kunai and made a dash for the blond, bearing his kunai threateningly.

The blond leaped back when the redhead got too close. At the last second, he dropped an explosive tag that was set to go off almost instantly. In the five seconds between the explosive tag being dropped and going off, the redhead leaped backwards to get out of the blast range. He made it out just barely. The redhead wasn't exactly known for his speed; that was more the blond's forte.

Narrowing his purple ringed eyes, the redhead attempted to throw his kunai through the smoke to hit the blond. When he heard a clanging sound, that meant one of two things: One, the blond was now coming through the smoke at him, or two, they both just had the same idea of throwing projectiles through the smokescreen. The redhead didn't see anyone come through the smoke, so it was likely the latter. His purple ringed eyes widened a fraction as a kunai whizzed past his shoulder and missed by nanometers. The redhead instinctively chose to take cover behind a tree and scope out the situation. When three more kunai buried deep into a nearby tree, the redhead knew he'd made the correct course of action.

Scanning around his immediate area for any sign of the blond, the redhead slightly relaxed and analyzed the terrain. An idea came to him, an unexpected one. The blond wouldn't see it coming from him, as the redhead more or less attempted the same tactic each time they sparred.

_This should throw him for a loop…_

With that thought in mind, the redhead made his trap and camouflaged it. They agreed to use no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. It was a simple Taijutsu spar with the occasional weapon thrown in… Alright. A ton of weapons thrown in. That meant the redhead would need to lure the blond into the trap. Simple enough, but he had to be careful about it. They were shinobi, after all.

Across the battlefield, the blond was frowning in contemplation. The redhead was being far too quiet. But if he moved from his position too much, then he could walk right into the redhead's hands. Best to play it cautiously and let the redhead make the first move.

A few minutes later, he wasn't disappointed when seven kunai from all directions homed in on him. The blond held back a laugh as he suspected Shadow Clones, but the redhead was far too honorable in their spars, so that was highly unlikely. Whatever the redhead did to unleash all those kunai at once from all sides, the blond had to give him props for it. The blond ducked and rolled away from his position; narrowly avoiding all of the kunai. The blond rolled his eyes when ten more kunai came from out of nowhere and homed in on the spot that he just rolled to.

_That Nagato… Always thinking ahead… _

But this still wasn't anything special. It was still so similar to their past spars…

After landing in three more hotspots, the blond began to sweat a little when kunai with explosive tags were thrown into the mix. His lips curved into a nervous grin as he attempted to make conversation with the redhead, Nagato. Wherever he was.

"I see Kushina has been influencing your weapon choice again! Try not to blow me to smithereens, for both our sakes!"

The blond heard Nagato snort and quietly chuckle, but he couldn't pinpoint his exact location. At least that gave him a general one. As he unknowingly got closer and closer to Nagato, the more kunai attached with explosive notes there were. It was getting hard to get out of each of the blast ranges. To borrow a phrase from a revered lazy clan, the whole thing was 'troublesome'.

At last, the blond spotted Nagato on a tree branch. Nagato had his back turned to him, and he seemed to be looking furtively for the blond. The blond smirked and silently creeped up on him. Just as he made the last leap to the tree branch that Nagato was on, Nagato pulled a dirty one on him and casually tossed an explosive note behind him, forcing the blond to cover his face with his arms as he couldn't evade the blast this time. The explosion sent the blond flying back to the ground; and after some tumbling, the blond managed to screech to a halt and steady himself.

"Shaken, but not stirred…" The blond muttered.

Instinct kicked in, and the blond managed to evade the next explosive note thrown his way.

"Almost got me that time, Nagato!"

Nagato frowned thoughtfully at his sparring partner from the tree branch that he was comfortably sitting on.

"Are you sure, Minato?"

And that's when the trap was sprung. The blond, Minato, suddenly found himself entangled in a net that was unleashed from directly beneath him. Not only that, but numerous explosive tags surrounded him. Minato rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment; the notes appeared different from regular explosive notes, and he did not want to find out how powerful were.

"Okay, okay, you got me!" Minato laughed lightheartedly, and Nagato assisted in getting him out of the net. Then Nagato gave him a hand to help him to his feet, which Minato took.

"Not my usual style," Nagato grinned sheepishly, "But I was willing to try something new… especially against you."

Minato shook his head and smiled good-naturedly.

"Don't worry about it. As shinobi, battling with honor isn't a necessity… And is rarely used by us, actually. … All the same, I really should have surveyed the terrain more. I'll let this be a lesson. By the way, how did you get all those kunai set up so fast? You bend the rules a little…?"

Nagato laughed.

"Not really. Kushina showed me that trick. She encouraged me to throw in as many explosives as possible, "Go nuts!" were her words, I think. But I'm not as… explosive-happy as Kushina is. I can't say violent, or she'd find out somehow, and then I'd be in for another personal 'lesson'."

Minato gave his brother-in-arms a sympathetic smile. Kushina wasn't known as the Red Hot Habanero for just her hair, after all. Men had been reduced to a bloody pulp for less.

"Well, thank goodness it doesn't run in the family, eh?"

It has been five years since the orphans from the Rain Village claimed the Leaf Village as their new home, and they have acclimatized well, both to the environment and to the people. The three orphans have reluctantly moved out of Jiraiya's shabby apartment, and have been sharing another apartment together. Well, at first, anyway. Thanks to a very gracious gesture from the Hokage, a new Clan Compound was set up: The Uzumaki Compound. It wasn't big and spacious like the Uchiha or Hyuga Compounds, but it was enough for the two remaining Uzumaki. The Hokage wasn't about to abandon the last surviving members of some of the Leaf's greatest allies, and Nagato and Kushina were thankful for the gesture, as they had no intention of allowing their family to die out. As always, Danzo attempted to use the situation to his advantage, but Hiruzen didn't leave any 'loopholes' for his old friend to exploit, and so Danzo very reluctantly left Nagato and Kushina alone… But that didn't mean he would stay idle when children and grandchildren came along. The Clan's longevity and expertise in seals was not to be wasted! Who would miss one or two Uzumaki children somewhere down the line, anyway? And so, Danzo would wait until a later date to attempt anything on the Uzumaki Clan.

As a result of living in the same Compound with Kushina, not to mention being like a cousin or something, Nagato befriended her, and Minato Namikaze by proxy. The bond that they had was tight, and they would always be thankful to Jiraiya for that bond. In a way, Nagato saw Kushina and Minato as siblings, and not just because of Jiraiya-sensei. In only five years, Nagato had cemented his ties with Minato and Kushina. Both on the battlefield and at home in the Leaf. They couldn't do much in the Second Great Ninja War because of being Genin at the time, and because of the fact that the War was wrapping up just as they became Genin, but they still saw some battles. They watched each other's backs, and trained together frequently.

And now their bond could only strengthen. Also by proxy, Konan and Yahiko befriended Minato and Kushina, but perhaps not to the extent of Nagato's friendship with the two lovebirds. The orphans would always tease the two about that. Aside from Minato and Kushina, it was typical now for Nagato to hang around with the Aburame Clan, too, and talk about all sorts of things, from current news to philosophy.

Yahiko and Konan trained together the most, but there were others that they bonded with. Yahiko got along well with the Inuzuka Clan and, surprisingly, the Hyuga Clan. Nobody knew for sure, but everyone suspected it was because of Yahiko that the Hyuga were more open and less stiff, or, in more vulgar terms, 'having the sticks less stuck up their butts'. Yahiko would deny this, naturally, and would say the Hyuga Clan had always been friendly. Suffice to say, no one bought it. As for the Inuzuka Clan, well… they were a little on-guard at first, but Yahiko has earned an honorary position in that Clan since moving to the Leaf. Konan bonded the most with the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi Clans, if only because she couldn't befriend one clan without getting to know the other two. Konan especially liked the Yamanaka Clan for their specialties in caring for flora, but that didn't mean that she liked the Akimichi or Nara Clans any less. Thanks to the Nara Clan, Konan was adequate at Shogi, and thanks to the Akimichi Clan, she and Yahiko and Nagato were able to eat anywhere. Restaurants were reluctant to serve 'suspicious outsiders' at first, but thanks to the Akimichi vouching for them, that suspicion was lifted for the most part.

Sakumo Hatake was another person that had come to bond with the orphans from Rain. Growing up as an orphan himself, Sakumo could identify with the orphans from Rain, and he greatly respected the way they endured the trials they went through at such a young age. Sakumo's son, Kakashi, was a bit too focused on his academics, but after graduating, he'd come around. Yahiko was a huge fan of the man once he had learned of Sakumo's exploits. Nagato and Konan came to respect him as well, but perhaps not to the extent of Yahiko. The trio from Rain had yet to battle alongside Sakumo, but they believed every story about Sakumo, and how he seemed to dwarf the Sannin, who were relatively new and gaining a reputation. Sakumo's wife had passed away that year, and so the three orphans spent as much time with the man and his son as possible, when they weren't spending time with the major Clans.

Yet that didn't stop the three orphans from being friendly to everybody, it just meant that was who they spent the most time with. Not everybody was buddy-buddy with the three of them. No, a number of villagers still had reservations about the 'outsiders' joining their village, and among them and at the forefront was the Uchiha Clan. Oh, the Uchiha were cordial enough, but they were far from friendly. They were coldly polite, and would go out of their way to avoid contact with the orphans as much as possible. Danzo was someone else that opposed the three orphans being there, but the war hawk was overly cautious of everyone and everything, and the three orphans presented a potential threat to the Leaf Village in his eyes, especially Nagato and his Rinnegan. Fortunately, Hiruzen countered every attempt that was made to evict the three from the village, and the Council slowly started to side with Hiruzen on the recurring issue, especially with the help of most of the major Clan Heads.

In essence, the three orphans from Rain weren't accepted universally, but they had many supporters to keep them happily in the Leaf Village. Yahiko had even formed a new branch of the Leaf's military that was dedicated to helping out other lands without formal requests for assistance – its name was Akatsuki. Initially, Yahiko wanted the branch to only plan out liberating the Rain Village, because dealing with Hanzo would be tricky. Yet with much convincing from Nagato, Konan, Jiraiya, and the Hokage, Yahiko relented and expanded the branch's vision and purpose. Akatsuki didn't get too many followers at first; after all, a War was just wrapping up, and the Leaf Village needed to tend to its own people first before thinking about helping other Hidden Villages. But now, five years later, Akatsuki was finally getting a huge influx of volunteers. No one wanted to experience another World War, and if helping out other lands managed to even just stall a future war, people were more than willing to give it a shot. Yahiko, naturally, headed Akatsuki, while Nagato and Konan were his consultants, when he needed a second opinion. Among its new members were Minato, Kushina, Sakumo, Jiraiya (when he wasn't busy building up his spy network), volunteers from each of the major clans (even from the Uchiha), and a host of other shinobi that were of varying ranks.

If one was a member of Akatsuki, they still fought and died for the Leaf Village. Nothing changed there. But when one found himself or herself free, one could volunteer to head out with a contingent and help neighboring lands that didn't approach them personally, whether it just be delivering rations or defending them from enemy nin. It was all completely voluntary and was not compulsory, which is why the group had an influx of new membership. One worked his or her own hours and it was for a good cause. Was it a walk in the park all the time? No, but that didn't stop them from offering assistance whenever and wherever possible. Not all Hidden Villages were so trusting of the 'help' that the Leaf offered, but those that did receive assistance were grateful, and some promised to return the favor someday.

Overall, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan were content with how things had progressed in five years. They had adjusted to life in the Leaf, made new bonds, and were given the go ahead to establish Akatsuki, which was now flourishing and performing superbly.

"So when's the next gathering, Nagato? I imagine there's going to be a ceremony for the induction of all the new members that joined the ranks this week?"

Nagato grinned. Twenty new members joined just this week, bringing up Akatsuki's number to an even one hundred members. It had become a bit of a headache for Yahiko, having to manage so many members, but he was satisfied with so many taking charge and standing up. Nagato and Konan were, too; that went without saying.

"I think Yahiko wanted to call an assembly tomorrow. Though that one is more about progress reports and debriefings of new missions, and not inductions. The new members will hit the ground running, pretty much."

Minato understood perfectly. Inductions were done when possible, but couldn't always be performed. Inductions allowed new members to learn the ropes and get to know fellow members. They could do so while out on missions though, so inductions were merely a formality.

"Ah. Well, I wish you guys luck then. I've got to head out on a B-Rank tomorrow; sorry I'll miss another meeting."

Nagato frowned thoughtfully.

"It's not your fault. Missions are just as important as debriefings, if not moreso. You won't be the only one unable to make it, so don't get stressed over it. We'll keep you up-to-date! So what does the mission entail?"

Minato rubbed the back of his head and grinned.

"Lord Hokage wants me to infiltrate a suspected Hidden Stone outpost. It might be nothing at all. Better safe than sorry, though. The Hidden Stone Village wasn't exactly happy with the outcome of the last Great War; relations with them have worsened severely. If this outpost, which is militarizing very quietly, IS one of theirs, then they could be gearing up for another war. But it's also possible that the outpost doesn't belong to any of the Great Nations; and that's why Lord Hokage is treating this as reconnaissance, and not seek and destroy. It won't be my first B-Rank, but it'll be tougher than anything I've handled up until now."

Nagato nodded in silent agreement. They had only been Chunin for two months now – all of them: Minato, Kushina, Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan. Minato was the only one to have handled a B-Rank in those two months, and that mission had barely made the cut. Minato's current mission was a solid B-Rank, potentially dealing with a fierce rival of the Leaf Village.

"Will you at least have backup, in case of the worst case scenario?" Nagato didn't doubt Minato's abilities; both of them were heralded as prodigies. But even prodigies could not be prepared for everything.

Minato nodded affirmatively.

"Yeah… But I'll be the only one actually enter the encampment. At least Hizashi and Hiashi won't be too far away… I'm still surprised Lord Hokage Okayed sending the twins out together… Though I shouldn't be. The two work well together. I know I can count on them." Looking up at the sun, Minato's lips quirked upwardly. "Well, it's about time for me to meet up with Kushina. If I'm late for another date, I don't want to imagine what Kushina will do to me…

Nagato laughed softly. After Minato said this, they began leaving the training ground together. Silence descended on them, and the two just enjoyed the sereneness of it all. It was just so peaceful.

"So… Anything new going on with you, Nagato?" Minato casually asked.

Nagato rubbed his chin as they kept trotting along.

"I'm still discovering new abilities with my Rinnegan. As you know, they give me the ability to use all five chakra natures, repel and attract objects and people, and absorb Chakra and attacks, but most recently I have discovered that I can summon more than one type of animal. So far I have summoned a three-headed dog, a bird, and some kind of insect. I assume I can summon more, but I haven't attempted to summon anything else yet. Sensei and I are at a loss as to how this is possible, but he speculates that there is still more that I can do with my powerful Dojutsu. Since the last one to possess the Rinnegan was the Sage of Six Paths himself, I have no one to turn to for guidance in regards to learning all the secrets of these eyes."

Minato placed a comforting hand on Nagato's shoulder as they stood still now.

"It'll be alright, Nagato. I don't know if you'll be able to find out all the powers you possess within your lifetime, but I do know that I'll be there with you every step of the way. Kushina, too. And Jiraiya-sensei."

Nagato gave a small smile.

"Thanks. Jiraiya-sensei said more or less the same thing. I wish there was someone to turn to for guidance, but I'm satisfied with the life I do have, and wouldn't give it up even if I got the chance to learn under the Sage himself."

With that, the two resumed their walk back into the village…

_Nara Clan Main House -_

Meanwhile, at the Nara Clan's main house, four people were gathered around a Shogi board. A blue-haired young woman and a raven-haired young man sat cross-legged across from each other, while two other young men stood on either side of the raven-haired man. The raven-haired man was a Nara; he had two scars on the right side of his face and a goatee, had his hair tied up in a spiky ponytail, and had pierced ears; he wore a flak jacket with a meshed shirt underneath and a deer skin coat over the flak jacket, and wore hand guards. To the Nara's left, a long-haired blond with spikes at the top of his hair stood with arms crossed; he had blue-green eyes, wore his headband for the Leaf and the standard flak jacket over a black outfit, with a sleeveless red haori over all that, and had hand guards like the Nara; the man was a Yamanaka. And standing to the Nara's right was a long, spiky, red-haired young man, who had purple marks on his cheeks and wore a black suit and armor with the kanji for 'food' on it with a white rope belt; and he wore a cloth headband over his head instead of a forehead protector, but like the Yamanaka and Nara, he had hand guards, too. The Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi were all recently-made Clan Heads.

Finally, the blue-haired woman, Konan, had amber eyes, orange nail polish, lavender markings around the eyes, and an origami flower that was still present in her hair; she wore a light blue skirt that went to her knees, white stockings, and a gray karate top that was similar to the one that she wore when training under Jiraiya back in Rain. She lacked her flak jacket at this time, but she didn't make a habit of wearing it all the time. She did, however, proudly wear her Leaf headband. And while Konan was not a Clan Head, being one of two advisors to the head of the Akatsuki branch of the Leaf's shinobi forces was pretty prestigious in its own right. Like the Anbu, the Police Force, and the T&I Department, Akatsuki had its own duties to fulfill, even if it relied on volunteers unlike the other branches.

"Well? You going to make a move, Shikaku?" The Yamanaka wryly asked his friend. The game had gone unchanged for the past hour, because Shikaku had been intensely analyzing the board. Shikaku was a genius, and could come up with strategies faster than anyone else. And yet, this time…

"I think he's coming to grips with the fact that he can't win this game," the Akimichi teased.

Shikaku narrowed his eyes. It was true; no matter what move he made, the game was going to end in impasse. Or his loss, if he made a sloppy move. However, Shikaku Nara NEVER made a sloppy move. For the past hour, he had been running over all the possibilities in his head, even going so far as to think up to twenty moves into the future with each possible move that he could make, and then re-checking those possibilities meticulously.

Suffice to say, Shikaku was not satisfied with his options. He hated to admit it, but Choza was right: A victory was highly unlikely now. However, this only seemed to amuse him, now that he thought about it some more.

"You've improved, Konan. Well done." Shikaku smirked, finally deigning to make a move.

One did not simply 'win' against Shikaku Nara in Shogi. Even reaching impasse or repetition with him was unheard of. Well, it wasn't impossible, just very rare. This game was a testament to Konan's vast improvement in strategy. In fact, if Shikaku wasn't courting Yoshino, he'd probably try his luck with Konan. All women were troublesome, but at least Konan had a sharp mind, which Shikaku admired.

Konan beamed at her opponent.

"Thank you, Shikaku. You're a challenge, as always."

From there, the game went along silently. Choza and the Yamanaka, Inoichi, watched in reverent awe as the game ended in impasse. This was the first time that Konan had managed to reach this outcome with Shikaku, having lost all previous games due to being a beginner in Shogi, and Shikaku being… well… Shikaku. Shogi master and tactical genius. If another war came up, Shikaku would make a name for himself; that much Konan was sure of.

Shikaku cracked his neck. Games with Konan took a while, even though he won every game but this one.

"Up for another round?" Shikaku asked the bluenette.

Konan shook her head, standing up and stretching.

"I'd love to, but I promised to meet Nagato later," she replied. "Next time."

Shikaku lazily smirked.

"Next time, then."

Choza uncrossed his arms while Shikaku slowly got to his feet.

"Do you have time for a quick bite? It's around lunch time."

Konan shrugged nonchalantly.

"Sure, I've got a little time. Yakiniku's again?"

Choza rumbled with laughter.

"Is there anywhere better?"

No more than ten minutes later, and they were seated in Yakiniku BBQ and waiting for their orders.

"So, Konan… How are Nagato and Yahiko? We haven't seen them for a while," Inoichi remarked. He was sitting next to Konan while Choza and Shikaku sat across from them.

Konan smiled slightly, idly creating an origami piece out of one of the napkins.

"Nagato's about the same, I suppose. I don't see him around as much outside of Akatsuki meetings because of his training, and that's why we're spending the day together. As for Yahiko… The stress of leading Akatsuki is settling in. On top of that, Yahiko is performing missions left and right to stay sharp and gain income. We're easily affording our monthly rent, and we're not going to starve any time soon… But he stresses about that, too. I think he should take a vacation to take his mind off things, but he feels he can't do that…"

Their food came, and Shikaku looked Konan right in the eye.

"What about you, Konan? How are you holding up?"

Konan filled her plate with barbeque, and then returned Shikaku's calculating stare.

"I'm fine, Shikaku. I've had to take up more missions so that Yahiko isn't so stressed, but I'm no worse for the wear. Lord Hokage believes I'd be a good candidate for Jonin within a year. Well, all three of us, to be honest. Nagato might get the promotion even sooner as he has the skill repertoire for it already, and Yahiko is definitely gaining leadership experience through Akatsuki."

Shikaku raised an eyebrow at Konan.

"And? What about you?"

Konan closed her eyes.

"I just need the experience; I'm not too worried. I am ready for higher ranked missions, however. Once Tsunade-sensei understood how skilled we were, we stopped taking D-Ranks almost immediately. I've had nothing but C-Ranks for almost five years."

Inoichi turned to face Konan.

"I heard about that. Any idea why Lord Hokage wouldn't let you take anything higher?"

Konan chewed bits of meat and drank some water before answering.

"Our situation has been… complicated. It mostly has to do with the Council. Now that we're Chunin, however, the Council has no right to deny us higher ranked missions. For me, I wanted to wait a little longer before taking up B-Ranks, but now I feel I'm more than ready. Yahiko has been tied up with Akatsuki, and Nagato seems to share my mindset of waiting before accepting higher ranked missions. Nagato is in no rush."

Shikaku and Inoichi nodded thoughtfully, and then there was a period of silence as the four ate their meal. Choza looked over to Konan and swallowed some barbeque before speaking.

"Are you still interested in becoming an Academy Instructor?"

"I've applied for the position, but again, the Council is fighting tooth and nail every step of the way," Konan replied. "They're afraid I'll sabotage the curriculum, or worse, turn future shinobi against the Leaf."

Shikaku rolled his eyes.

"The Council's a pain, but at least Lord Hokage has a final say in everything," he drawled.

"Yeah, they're not all-powerful," Choza affirmed. "They have a purpose, but they tend to get on everyone's nerves. Sorry they give you guys the third-degree so often…"

Konan shrugged uncaringly.

"They're fiercely loyal to the village, to a fault even. I can appreciate their cautious nature, though I do resent them for giving Yahiko and Nagato such a hard time."

Inoichi gave her a meaningful look.

"Just continue to prove them wrong. You have Lord Hokage's approval, and everyone's coming around, slowly. You have the unswerving support of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans!"

Konan beamed appreciatively.

"Thank you for all you've done."

_Hokage Administration Building, Akatsuki's Main Office –_

Yahiko ran his hands through his hair and tiredly rubbed his eyes. He appreciated the Hokage granting him an office in the administration building, and that he even approved Akatsuki's conception. But paperwork was the bane of everyone's existence. Funny how shinobi would volunteer to deliver rations to other villages, but not a single one would volunteer to do the tedious paperwork. Yahiko desperately wanted a secretary, but since Akatsuki was based on volunteers, the Hokage could not appoint one for him. And while he could easily hire one, Yahiko simply didn't have that kind of money. Unlike Nagato, Yahiko did not know the Shadow Clone technique, and regular clones would be of no help here.

_Even Nagato and Konan said they wouldn't do it unless they were paid for it… Bastards…_

Yahiko groaned. Who was he kidding? Who in their right mind would WANT to do the paperwork? Applications, personnel records, reports on missions and current events… Somebody had to sort through it and organize it all. And unfortunately, because no one else was stepping up, that meant Yahiko had to do it. On top of this, Yahiko still had to do his duty for the village, appear at all Akatsuki gatherings, and be available when members wanted to meet with him.

_It's a wonder I have any social life at all…_

Yahiko bitterly thought. He'd never take secretaries for granted again. At least Konan was picking up the slack for him; with the addition of twenty new members, the paperwork had increased marginally. The more paperwork there was, the more time that Yahiko needed to sacrifice. And there was no way he was going to let it stack up; it'd never get done that way.

Perhaps it was time to take it up a notch and take a few B-Ranks. They'd be more taxing, of course, but there would be more reward, and if he saved up enough…

"I'm comin' in, Yahiko!"

Yahiko braced himself. His office was NOT all that big, and the door slamming open would be enough to topple over the towering piles of doom. Yahiko wasn't disappointed when the door swung into the wall, and the moving air knocked over all of his hard work.

"Darn it, Tsume…" Yahiko grumbled. "I was making progress, too…"

In the doorway, a young woman with dark brown, spiky, unkempt hair stood with hands on her hips. She wore the traditional Chunin outfit, complete with black pants and shirt, and a Chunin flak jacket; and she had an animalistic appearance about her, with vertical slit-like pupils, canine-like fangs and claws, and her clan's fang markings on her cheeks. Tsume smirked mischievously.

"You've been cooped up in here for too long, Yahiko! I was waiting for you to go on yer lunch break, but it seems yer skippin' those now, too! No one should have to sit behind a desk for so long!"

"But… But…" Yahiko was grasping at straws now. Tsume had a point, and yet… "Wh-What about the paperwork?"

Tsume barked a laugh.

"We'll get someone to cover for ya!"

"I don't have that kind of money!" The carrot-top argued.

Tsume stepped out of the room, and a few minutes later, Yahiko could hear his Sensei complaining to Tsume. Tsume dragged the Toad Sage by the ear into Yahiko's office soon after.

"I just got done with reporting to Sarutobi-sensei!" Jiraiya whined, massaging his throbbing ear.

Tsume motioned to Yahiko, who still looked utterly shocked at Jiraiya's being there.

"Do a favor for yer pup, eh? He needs a break, and you don't seem to be too busy…"

Jiraiya crossed his arms and sternly looked at the mess of paperwork sprawled all over the desk and floor.

"Will I at least get paid for it…?"

Tsume heartily slapped him in the back.

"You'll be doing it free of charge, of course! Out of the goodness of yer heart! We won't be more than an hour!"

Jiraiya twitched.

"You owe me for this…"

Yahiko visibly relaxed and got up.

"Thank you, Sensei... I'll try and reimburse you at a later date…"

Tsume took Yahiko by the hand and left without another word. Jiraiya continued staring after they were long gone. Out of the goodness of his heart, huh…? Sighing irritably, Jiraiya began picking up the paperwork.

More than three hours later, Yahiko still hadn't returned.

_Streets of the Leaf Village –_

"I don't think I can thank you enough, Tsume… Paperwork is probably the hardest part of the job."

The recently-made Clan Head of the Inuzuka Clan waved her hand dismissively as she walked alongside Yahiko.

"It was nothin'. Had to get back at that old perv somehow. So, where you wanna go?"

Yahiko grinned lopsidedly.

"The usual. Sushi seems good about now. I do wanna invite Hiashi and Hizashi first, though…"

Tsume put on a playful pout.

"Aww… And here I was thinkin' we could call it a date." She cackled when that garnered a small twitch from Yahiko. "Naw, I was thinkin' of bringin' along Shibi for company, too. Always a blast getting him to come out of his shell!"

Yahiko blinked once. Twice. Thrice.

"Uh… Refresh my memory… Who is Shibi again…?"

And suddenly Yahiko and Tsume were joined in their trot to the Hyuga household by a young man with a high-collared beige jacket. The man had short, spiky black hair, and wore dark sunglasses that obscured his eyes. Beyond the gourd strapped to his back, there really wasn't anything that made the young man distinguishable; he seemed plain.

"It is good to meet you again, Yahiko. I hope you haven't forgotten me… again…" The man greeted Yahiko smoothly and succinctly.

Yahiko paled slightly and shook his head rapidly.

"Of course I remember you, Shibi! You're very… memorable!"

"Hn." Shibi wasn't convinced in the least.

Tsume stared at Shibi dully.

"You know, if you want others to remember you, you gotta get out more, Shibi! And speak up, don't hang in the background all the time! Honestly!"

Shibi made no physical response; his hands remained in his pockets. Yet if one listened closely, they could hear his parasitic insects buzzing agitatedly.

"In any event, comrades do not forget one another… Friends should especially take care to remember who their friends are…"

Yahiko sweatdropped.

"I said I was sorry, what more do you want from me?!"

"…"

Silence. Tsume sighed in irritation; Shibi was so sensitive about friendship that it wasn't even funny. She hoped his future kids would be made out of tougher stuff, but suspected they would be like mini-Shibis.

"Alright, alright, you've made your point, Shibi! Just let bygones be bygones and move on!"

Shibi sighed quietly.

"Nagato and Konan do not forget me…"

"Well, Nagato hangs around you a lot, and Konan's too polite to forget anyone… And me, well… I'm still memorizing the names and faces of all Akatsuki members…" Yahiko groused. Shaking his head, he grinned at thinking about his friends.

"… That is still no excuse. I know every single one of my comrades." Shibi argued.

Tsume sighed.

"Not everyone has parasitic insects that help in identifying people, Shibi…" Tsume deadpanned.

"…"

And just like that, the argument was dropped. When they reached the Hyuga Compound, Hiashi and Hizashi were already on their way out together. And both wore similar forehead protectors, and even similar robes. Ever since Yahiko came to the village, the Hyuga twins had become more eccentric; they dressed the way they did not to appear regal, but to mess with everyone's heads. People would be so confused that they wouldn't know which twin was which.

"I see we'll be going out for another luncheon together," one Hyuga twin coolly noted.

"Alright, which one are you?" Tsume dryly asked. They even had similar smells, so the young Inuzuka couldn't tell them apart.

Yahiko chuckled.

"Can't you tell? That's Hizashi pretending to be Hiashi again!"

The twin that hadn't spoken yet narrowed his eyes at Yahiko.

"No, I'M Hizashi!"

… And if someone they knew ever figured out which was which, they would firmly deny it until they couldn't. It was their way of loosening up. Yahiko had convinced them they were too stiff and steeped in Hyuga 'tradition' – Hiashi was arrogant due to being a Main House member, and Hizashi had been surly towards Hiashi because of that and his Branch House status. And so the two had reconciled and decided to rebel against 'tradition' as much as possible, going so far as to act like 'common folk' and have fun with their lives. Not excessively, of course; they still had serious moments and trained diligently. But it was fun to mess with people all the same.

Yahiko smirked.

"Hizashi," he pointed to the young man on the right. And then he pointed to the one on the left, saying, "Hiashi. I've got a way of telling the two apart."

The first Hyuga twin that had spoken up narrowed his eyes, too.

"How?"

Yahiko laughed at their naiveté.

"Well, if you don't know Hizashi, I can't tell you! There'd be no fun in that!"

Yahiko's secret way of telling them apart lied in looking for the tiniest differences between the two Hyugas. Hiashi always had some hair partially covering his ears, while Hizashi had all of it tucked behind his ears. They also had a slightly different style of walking; Hiashi tended to start on his right foot, and Hizashi his left.

The tiniest telltale signs. Yahiko just knew what to look for because of spending so much time with the twins. But he wasn't about to tell the Hyugas that. They'd try to correct their unconscious habits, and that'd make it harder to tell them apart.

At last the Hyuga twins acquiesced. They knew better than to doubt Yahiko when it came to telling them apart; the leader of Akatsuki was always spot-on.

"So… the usual place?" Hiashi inquired while they walked.

Yahiko grinned widely.

"Naturally! Sushi's good all the time! I'd say it's the best food in the world, but that goes without saying."

At a ramen stand elsewhere in the village, a certain redheaded kunoichi sat up rigidly and punched her palm determinedly.

"SOMEONE is going to need another lesson about the food of the gods that is ramen, ya know!"

Minato sweatdropped at Kushina's outburst. He knew not to say anything out loud, because Kushina had a sixth sense for these things. If someone was badmouthing ramen or claiming some other food to be better, then someone was going to get hurt later. They just didn't know yet. Probably.

Back with Yahiko, Tsume, Shibi, Hiashi and Hizashi, Yahiko shuddered as a sense of foreboding hit him.

"Uh… For the record, you guys did NOT hear me say that out loud. I'd like to NOT be beaten to a bloody pulp."

Yahiko's friends winced sympathetically for him. For his sake they'd keep quiet, but Kushina always just… KNEW… who needed a 'thrashing'. Every. Single. Time.

Unfortunately, today proved to be no different. After a relaxing luncheon with some of his best friends, Yahiko had been on his way back to the office when Kushina found him and whaled on him. He'd spent the rest of the afternoon in a hospital bed with one Kushina Uzumaki haunting his bedside. Next time, Yahiko would just keep his 'humble opinion' to himself.

It'd be much, much less painful that way.

_At a teahouse –_

After the brief lunch with Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza, Konan met up with Nagato at a quaint teahouse that they both frequented. There was nothing extraordinary about the tea the place served, but it was an excellent place to relax and unwind. In addition the owner of the establishment had been one of the few to actually accept their business without the Akimichi Clan's insistence.

Placing their orders – Konan went with an herbal tea, and Nagato green tea – Nagato and Konan got comfortable while they waited.

"I hear you've been improving in Shogi," Nagato broke the tentative silence amiably, leaning back casually in his seat.

Konan beamed.

"I actually didn't lose today's game with Shikaku! It wasn't a win officially, but reaching impasse with that man is a feat in itself."

Nagato grinned a little at that. Konan had to be improving drastically if she reached that outcome with Shikaku.

"I'm happy for you. Speaking for myself, I've recently discovered that I can summon more than one type of creature. Jiraiya-sensei doesn't want me talking about it yet, but the creatures appear to all have Rinnegan eyes as well. It's weird, but I swear I can see through their eyes in addition to my normal vision. If I am visually linked with my summons, then that will be a very handy ability to have out in the field!"

Konan nodded understandingly. It would be handy. Sneak attacks from enemy nin would all fall flat if Nagato could cover all his blind spots.

"I'm glad Jiraiya-sensei is helping you when he can. After all the changes we've been through in five years, it feels good to have one constant with Sensei around. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be happier that we came here. I suppose I'm just a little homesick is all."

Nagato frowned thoughtfully.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. Part of me misses Rain Country as well, but I'm of the opinion that our 'home' is with Jiraiya-sensei. He made our days in Rain more bearable than when we were stealing just to survive, and he taught us how to defend ourselves. We followed him here and made new bonds. I can't imagine life without Minato, Kushina, or Shibi now."

Konan hummed thoughtfully. Nagato was right, of course. She couldn't imagine life without any of their acquaintances in the Leaf. True, they could've built up Akatsuki in Rain and liberated it, but they wouldn't have had the support of the Leaf, and Konan had to wonder if they'd be as strong as they were now if they had stayed in their home country.

A few moments later their tea arrived, and the two sipped in tranquil silence.

"Will you be taking on a B-Rank anytime soon, Nagato…?" Konan casually asked. This was often on her mind as well.

Nagato shrugged.

"Perhaps. I have to test my abilities in the field at some point. Jiraiya-sensei is helping me out as much as possible, and I wish to do him and the village proud. Of course… I do wish there was a way to minimize the bloodshed, but the road to peace is not an easy one. Not everyone strives for peace like we do…"

Konan was aware that Nagato was referring to the Hidden Cloud and Stone Villages in particular, but his words also covered those that sought peace in different ways. In other words, Nagato was also referring to people like Danzo, who would sooner conquer the rest of the nations and place them under the Leaf's iron fist. Jiraiya-sensei, Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato all knew that peace wouldn't be achieved through more bloodshed, but not all people were of the same opinion.

"Do you think we're really making a difference…?" Konan asked dubiously.

Nagato smiled reassuringly.

"Slowly, yes. Other lands are not so trusting of us, but trust isn't easily earned, especially after years of constant fighting. We just have to keep trying and never lose hope. There will be future wars no doubt, but we can't let them stop us. Jiraiya-sensei is searching for the answer, and we are, too. Together, peace is achievable. There's no doubt in my mind."

Returning Nagato's smile, Konan steered the conversation to lighter topics, such as how Kushina and Minato were, how her own training was progressing, and planning to take their first B-Rank together. The light chatting went well into the evening, and the two orphans from Rain enjoyed each other's company.

Back at the Hokage Tower, Jiraiya was still in Yahiko's office sorting through the paperwork. Shadow Clones helped, but they, too, abandoned Jiraiya after hours of going through the stuff. Jiraiya had been about to rant to himself about the unjustness of it all again, when a certain report caught his eye.

"So, the Third Kazekage has gone missing, huh…?" Jiraiya muttered to himself.

**If you guys haven't noticed, I'm kind of like the Kakashi/Obito of authors… My updates aren't weekly, though I'd LIKE them to be that way… Anyway, I suppose I got lost on the road of life. Also, hard to work up inspiration for this chapter because of so few details to refer to during this time period, but it was mostly the former. Really. There's going to be some time skipping up until about Chapter Eight or Nine (though there won't be much of one between this and next, if the ending here is any indication). I said it in the companion fic, in case you haven't checked that out, but my reasons for skipping around for the first few chapters is to cover main events that will change, and to reference some things vaguely to come back to later. We won't reach the main idea until about… Chapter Four. That's when things pick up. Next chapter summarizes the Third World War and features a few of the main events, which I will not spoil here, but you can find spoilers on my profile and on the blog (a link can be found on my profile). *eye smile* **

** Still not 'epic' length yet, but I promise next chapter will be even longer than this one. **

**No mission action this chapter. They're shinobi, but the characters are people, too, and need the occasional, peaceful chapter to flesh them out. Even though I haven't gone gung-ho on missions yet… Next chapter should make up for the lack of 'action'. Plenty of action to come, don't fret. And if you haven't noticed, I tend to not swear often; I try to avoid it when possible. It's just not me. However, some characters use it explicitly… *cough* Hidan *cough*… Anyway, I'll try to use it enough to make it believable. Mostly when the characters are angry, but… Anyway, thanks for the Reviews, Alerts, and Favs. Until next time! Ja ne.**

**Review Replies:**

** Izanagi God: It will most likely turn out that way. Right now it's Yahiko/Konan, but that's because of the canon's insinuation of the couple, really. Not all relationships are permanent, though. Anything's possible. I'm not hyped up on pairings like everyone else, so don't expect a story centered on romance. **

** ultima-owner: Thanks for the Review!  
erdbeermund: Again, thanks for the Review! Your Review made my day! I hope this continues to be interesting for you! Your English is just fine, and I appreciate the feedback!**

** Super Vegito 2: We talked enough through PMs, but thanks again for your Review. Haha. Hope this chapter was alright for you. **


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